That's All Folks!

Alright, so this is the last one you have to read. We’re back in Eugene now after a tumultuous journey home. Our aircraft was completely full, we got no sleep, I got a migraine the last three hours of the flight and had to run to the toilet as we were landing to puke, and once we arrived in LA we had to wait on the plane (with the door open but not connected to the ramp) until 6am when customs opened (because apparently you can close customs whenever you like even if you say that you are an international airport). I made it through customs quickly but Mark was detained for at least forty-five minutes because he got a complete jerk who didn’t want to let him into the country. Fortunately, he did get in and I got our bags. Unfortunately, all of this fiasco took up only about an hour of our six-hour layover. I will say two things: LA airport is indeed horrific (avoid it at all costs and fly from Sydney to San Francisco) and yes I did sleep on the floor. We did manage to get seats in the emergency exit area so we had more legroom on our way to Portland, which was appreciated. While I did sleep most of that flight I managed to open my eyes right as we flew over Yosemite. It was absolutely Sublime! Completely covered with snow and seen from 38.000 feet in the air it was exquisite.

We landed in Portland and were greeted by my parents and my aunt Peny, which was a very pleasant surprise. Our bags arrived and our wine was unbroken (thank god). So we made our way home, stopped for some good ol’ Burrito Boy, and had a modest birthday part for my father (sorry it wasn’t more exciting dad).

Mark asked me what my favourite and least favourite things about Australia were. While I am still trying to figure out just one favourite thing I came up with as short an answer as I could. My least favourite thing about Australia is that there is an abundance of common spiders that can kill you, the snakes don’t bother me as much because as someone pointed out you will know when there is a snake in your bed but you won’t know when there is a spider in it. I also hated the mosquitoes, which I still have bites from. My favourite thing about Australia is that when people call each other mate, they actually mean it.

Australia is a genuine place. It has genuinely poisonous species but most importantly it is full of genuine people. While it will be too long before we return I will never forget what a special place it is and what an amazing time I had there. Thank you again to all of the lovely people who hosted us, fed us, and entertained us. We miss you Rowanston! And when I grow up, I would like to be like Marilyn Fredericksen.

Oh, and the Kiwis are amazingly friendly and helpful.

Cheers!

The End of an Era

Well, while I won't say this is my last entry, it is close to the end. At the moment Mark and I are in Auckland staying at the best hotel, the Langham. It is absolutely fantastic and let me tell you, we needed it. Unfortunately, Mark has contracted my stomach flu-like symptoms only much to both of our disappointment he has it much worse than I did. So, while I am excited to be in New Zealand, I have spent more than three quarters of our time here in the hotel room. Today, however, I found the Spa . . . absolutely wonderful. I swam, sat in the sauna, the steam room, and the Jacuzzi (all saltwater I might add). What a wonderful way to start the day. Then I took myself to lunch after walking along the wharf. Now, I am going to take myself to dinner. I will say that although it was nice to get out a bit, sightseeing is not as much fun alone. Oh, well.

So tomorrow we have a very long plane ride to endure and we are both nervous about Mark's condition 30.000 miles up in the air. So, here's hoping for the best and I will write my concluding statements when we are back home. Cheers!

Les Animaux

I think this lizard liked me because he kept showing off.

Some nice birds.

The natural, and running, stream.

The Koalas were awake this time!

Melbourne

"Beware of Cars" I just thought that was funny.

Here is an amazing artist on the street.

There is the River Yarra and our hotel on the left.

And here we are at Dan's play, "Fat Boy", at the Red Stitch theatre.

Let me just say that I don’t know how people find the time to keep a journal.

So, on that note, here are my recollections of the past events:

Vintage is basically over, at least for me. Mark is still hard at work blending, cleaning tanks, doing analysis, etcetera. For a reward for our efforts this harvest Marilyn and John very graciously got Mark and I two nights in Melbourne at the Rendezvous Hotel right bang in the centre of town. However, before we got there we made a few stops. First I got to meet Mark’s old assistant winemaker, Brian. Then we went to Healseville to have lunch and go to the animal sanctuary. The drive was very scenic but the GPS, or Sarah as I like to call her (as in Sarah Palin because it is just as annoying and almost as useless) was wearing on my sanity. After a few trials and tribulations we made it to the lovely little town. After a nice, but unnecessarily rich, salad at the pub Mark very graciously took me to see the animals. The sanctuary was similar to the one in Port Macquarie but larger and set in more scenic bush. The animals were gorgeous of course. Despite the sad reality of captivity, the animals had a pretty nice place to live.

After the sanctuary we went to the city. The Melbourne traffic, which is notorious for its congestion, was true to its reputation. However, we found our hotel easily, thanks to Mark’s driving skills, and checked in. That evening we found a bar called the Purple Emerald and enjoyed a nice G and T. While we were there we both realized that the environment here is completely different to the states. For example, there were groups of people just sitting down and having a conversation in the bar. However their decibels were well above what is socially acceptable in the US. In the states, if you were talking boisterously you would be assumed drunk, refused service, and asked to leave. And while it is true that Aussies are generally more animated than Americans, the public self-expression here is certainly more liberal. At dinner I had some excellent Laksa and delicious fried rice in Chinatown.

The next day was spent wandering around looking for shops to buy things in. Like most of our shopping trips I was not as lucky as Mark. While I tried very hard, I only found two items of clothing at the end of the full day of looking and trying things on. Oh, well. Mark on the other hand found some lovely shirts and a magnificent new jacket. That night we went to the theatre to see “Spontaneous Broadway” which is apart of the Melbourne Comedy Festival. It was wildly entertaining and Mark even enjoyed it! He has been to the theatre twice in one week and enjoyed it both times! We then found a nice Italian café and had some very tasty risotto for dinner. In the morning we had breakfast and ran a couple of errands before returning to the farm. Unfortunately, I acquired some sort of stomach bug and had a tough time thoroughly enjoying myself. Nonetheless, it was a nice break from winery duties. However, I will say that the hustle and bustle of Melbourne is too much for me.

Yesterday, feeling slightly better, I ran errands with Freddo, which was very fun, and today has brought us to our last full day here! How time flies. Neither of us are ready to leave. We head off to Auckland tomorrow afternoon and then back to the states. So, until New Zealand, cheers!

Ch Ch Changes

Well the season has definitely changed into Autumn. We've turned our clocks back and are waiting for the rain. The winery is truckin' along, blending will be happening later today, and we pressed off the Shiraz yesterday. All is well and beautiful! We recently celebrated Mark's birthday, gluten-free birthday cake and all, and are slowly winding down (although there is still plenty of work to be done). While each day brings us closer to our return home, we are loving every minute of our holiday, work and all! We can't wait to see our friends, family, and especially puppies again, but we will certainly be reluctant to leave this place! We went for an adventure in the yute the other day, which got us lost for an hour or so, but I got to see some amazing countryside. I also saw my first really big spider (and I'm talking big as in tarantula proportions) the other afternoon. John and Marilyn also took us into the big city on Sunday to see their son's performance in "Fat Boy", which was amazing, and then we went out to eat at a lovely Mexican restaurant. All is well and good.

Photos of sunrises, black red-bellied snake (that got caught in the nets and died, poor thing), and more exciting things.

Rowanston on the Track

Working in the Bush

Where to begin? Well, Mark and I are staying with the fabulous John and Marilyn Frederickson. Their home and vineyard is about an hour north of Melbourne and Mark is here for work. I myself am here on holiday. However . . . I am working as well. And having a rather enjoyable time too! But I will say that all work and no play makes Kaila a dull boy . . . I mean girl. While I enjoy manual labor I am not used to it, nor fit for it at this time (all of the indulging over the rest of our travels made me quite the fatty patty). But with the work comes some play too and I can’t complain about anything. Okay, so let’s see if I can remember what has passed in the last week and a half.

We arrived in the middle of the Syrah harvesting, or Shiraz rather. While we knew that we would have to jump into immediate processing and other activities, we were ready for the luxury of sleeping in the same bed for an extended period of time. While traveling all over the place is fun, living out of a suitcase is exhausting. So, excited to have a home base, we began vintage.

Unfortunately, sweat quickly doused my enthusiasm. The first day we were here we working in the winery in the morning and then, just in time for the afternoon heat, we headed out to help pick. While I enjoyed being outside, the sun was too hot and my Dave’s syndrome kicked in (for those of you not familiar with Black Books it is the inability to cope with the heat). I struggled to say the least but soon I realized that life wasn’t so bad and that I was in Australia doing a harvest! So, after some trials and tribulations I toughened up.

The days all seem to blend together. I have lost all sense of time but you know what they say, time flies when you’re having fun! And while the work has been never ending the times we are having are wonderful! This place is certainly special! I just picked a lemon off of the tree outside for my gin and tonic and am eating fresh figs from the front yard too. Every night we get to eat delicious home cooked meals and enjoy some beautiful company.

The second day we pulled in the rest of the Syrah, processed it, put it in a huge open fermenter and kept going. Working in the winery keeps us busy all morning and evening (getting samples is not that exhilarating). A couple days later we picked the Merlot, and then the Sauv Blanc. The first day of picking, when Dave’s syndrome hit, was anything but fun. However, the Merlot was rather enjoyable to pick because the weather cooled and the clouds sheltered. I also had the opportunity to meet some lovely fellow pickers (although I didn’t practice my French because I am too shy). Anyhow, Mark has been running a tight ship (and working his arse off) and all of a sudden a week had passed and I completely exhausted myself. Working all day everyday was not what my body was ready for. So, I had to take an afternoon off and try to recoup. However, all was soon well again and we moved right along.

Photos of Adelaide

Adelaide

Sad to leave Tasmania, we made our way to Adelaide. Although we were there on business, Mark was looking at his apartment and trying to make some decisions about it, we got to have three wonderful nights with two of Mark’s old university mates, Chris and Lexi and their adorable cat Cocoa. While I had been warned about the place, although I’m still not sure what the warning was about (something to do with the locals being crude or something), I greatly enjoyed myself (even the boring hour at the real estate office). I finally had my first outing to an Aussie pub, which happened to be a terribly charming one (with gluten-free options on the menu and fantastic décor). We retired rather early the first evening, saving our stamina for the next day.

After the time spent doing business, we made it to McLaren Vale and visited Mark’s first boss, Justin. We drank some fantastic Tempranillo at Samuel’s Gorge, enjoyed the beautiful views and fantastic company. O’ to have money and success!

Next we went to the beach. While not as unique as Nine Mile in Tassie it was nonetheless wonderful. Then, back to home base and the most wonderful Indian takeout I’ve had here yet!

The last day we looked at the Central Markets, which every town must have they are fantastic, and did some exploring around town. We also stopped by another friend's house, had a delicious lunch, and enjoyed the gorgeous afternoon with Andrew and his daughter Rachel. After a nice barbeque, we spent some time imbibing . . . and then some more . . . and then I went to bed because we had to be at the airport at 5:30 am . . . and then Mark drank some more . . . Finally, the night ended and it quickly turned into day and we were off to another airport and to work.

Oh, and I forgot to mention the markets at Salamanca! The best ones ever! Seriously! Saturday morning we walked down the multiple block market and admired the beautiful selection of goods. Unfortunately, we don't live there so it was be pointless to buy up all of the wonderful deals they had (but cheeper). However, I did find a few items I couldn't live without (although I didn't indulge in any of the gluten-free treats or snags).

Tassie

The beautiful thing about Tasmania is that the lifestyle is easygoing and laid back. However, this is not such a good thing when one gets off of a flight late at night after working their rear off for the previous day and a half. The wait for our bag was painful! We got our rental car and went to the hotel. Fortunately, Mark had found a lovely place, the Hotel Collins. Unfortunately, the car that Hertz gave us was the stupidest thing since Sarah Palin. A word to the wise, don’t get a Nissan tiida. We thought that the gas wasn’t full, it was automatic, it rattled when we went down hills, etcetera. And when we went to fill it with gas we realized that it wasn’t the previous drivers who were cheep but that the gas gage didn’t actually go to full! Oh well. It did get us from point A to B. Before we retired for the evening we luckily found a restaurant that was still open and lo and behold it was Indian! We couldn’t have been happier!

The first morning we went to this fantastic café in Salamanca, the Machine, which is a launderette too. Wonderful coffee and delicious breakfasts! Much to my amazement they had gluten-free bread on their menu (a phenomenon which would continue to pop up all over the state)! That afternoon we drove up the Coal River Valley and tasted some lovely wines. We made it to Richmond and enjoyed some fresh air by the beautiful bridge, which I bet has a name but I don’t know it. That evening we drove up to the top of Mount Wellington, which is about 1250 km above sea level. Although this is not very high compared to the surroundings it is massive! You can see everything! The perfect way to spend the afternoon I reckon. Finally we found a nice place or dinner, cargo, and Mark found his new favourite wine, Kelvenon Pinot (I think that is right).

The next day, after another breakfast at the Machine, we drove up the East Coast to Swansea and had lunch at Trellis. Here too there were gluten-free options . . . and cake! Ridiculous! Then we had a drive past a nice property, found Nine Mile Beach, and went for a swim all by our selves! Fantastic!

On our last day we went to Cygnet, which is also beautiful (and has a completely gluten-free bakery). Lunch at Peppermint Bay was divine and the drive to our friend’s new property was breathtaking. Once we arrived we were fed fresh oysters that had just been taken out of the water, an experience I had never had, and enjoyed the excellent company of Rod and Jen.

Unfortunately, our stay was only a few short days but we loved every minute of it!

Photos of Tassie

Views of Salamanca and Mount Wellington!

Vintage Hurts

We got into Melbourne airport and were picked up by lovely Marilyn. The drive out to the vineyard was beautiful but dry and unlike the lush flora I had enjoyed in Bowral or Laurieton. However, once we arrived I realized how amazing the bush is. Unfortunately, this quick stop was not intended for lounging and enjoying the sunset, rather we were there to work and were welcomed by a dirty press and a substantial amount of two day old fruit waiting to be processed! We set to work. The first evening we cleaned. I cleaned the lab and Mark whirled through the winery. Then we cleaned some more. Finally was got to a stopping point and had a lovely dinner. We were up the next morning (Mark a couple hours before me) and began to process. All in all it went well. However, the hard work, and yes vintage is bloody painful, was rewarded by an extremely stressful race to the airport! We flew with Tiger Airways who are notorious for being sticklers about checking in at a certain time. We made it! So, we hopped on yet another plane and flew to Hobart.

Sydney

Thanks to the wonderful generosity of the Wood’s, Mark and I have been having a comfortable and entertaining stay in the big city. Consisting of many walks around Glebe, a ride on the ferry, food, wine, and the occasional shop, we are keeping ourselves very busy. With a short trip down to Bowral to see Mark’s brother and his beautiful family, we have come to the end of our stay in this area. Tomorrow we hop on the plane, again, to go to Melbourne . . . and then back on the plane to see Tasmania. So, while there are many stories about each outing, I am going to keep it short for the time being.

Sydney is bustling. Bowral is located in some of the most amazing countryside I have ever seen or been in. Mark’s friends and family are all gorgeous.